Dry
macular degeneration
(Normal vision and vision with macular
degeneration depicted above.)
Overview
Dry macular degeneration is
a common eye disorder among people over 50. It causes blurred or reduced
central vision, due to thinning of the macula.
The macula is the part of
the retina responsible for clear vision in your direct line of sight. Wet
macular degeneration is a chronic eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a
blind spot in your visual field. It's generally caused by abnormal blood
vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula. Dry macular degeneration is much more
common.
Dry macular degeneration may
first develop in one or both eyes and then affect both eyes. Over time, your
vision may worsen and affect your ability to do things, such as read, drive and
recognize faces. But this doesn't mean you'll lose all of your sight. Vision
loss is typically central and people retain their peripheral vision. Some
people have only mild central vision loss, while in others it can be more
severe.
Early detection and
self-care measures may delay vision loss due to dry macular degeneration.
Symptoms
Dry macular degeneration
symptoms usually develop gradually and without pain. They may include:
Visual distortions, such as
straight lines seeming bent
Reduced central vision in
one or both eyes
The need for brighter light
when reading or doing close-up work
Increased difficulty
adapting to low light levels, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant
Increased blurriness of
printed words
Decreased intensity or
brightness of colors
Difficulty recognizing faces
A well-defined blurry spot
or blind spot in your field of vision
Dry macular degeneration can
affect one or both eyes. If only one eye is affected, you may not notice any
changes in your vision because your good eye may compensate for the weak eye.
And the condition doesn't affect side (peripheral) vision, so it rarely causes
total blindness.
Dry macular degeneration is
one of two types of age-related macular degeneration. It can progress to wet
(neovascular) macular degeneration, which I described earlier. The dry type is more common, but it usually
progresses slowly (over years). The wet type is more likely to cause a
relatively sudden change in vision resulting in serious vision loss.
See your eye doctor
if:
You notice changes in your
central vision
Your ability to see colors
and fine detail becomes impaired
These changes may be the
first indication of macular degeneration, particularly if you're over age 60.
Causes
No one knows exactly what
causes dry macular degeneration. But research indicates it may be affected by a
combination of heredity and environmental factors, including smoking, obesity
and diet.
The condition develops as
the eye ages. Dry macular degeneration affects the macula. Over time, tissue in
your macula may thin and lose cells responsible for vision.
Risk factors
Factors that may increase
your risk of macular degeneration include:
Age. This disease is most
common in people over 60.
Family history and
genetics. This disease has a hereditary component.
Researchers have identified several genes that are related to developing the
condition.
Race.
Macular degeneration is more common in Caucasians.
Smoking.
Smoking cigarettes or being regularly exposed to smoke significantly increases
your risk of macular degeneration.
Obesity.
Research indicates that being obese may increase your chance that early or
intermediate macular degeneration will progress to the more severe form of the
disease.
Cardiovascular disease. If
you have had diseases that affected your heart and blood vessels, you may be at
higher risk of macular degeneration.
Complications
People whose dry macular
degeneration has progressed to central vision loss have a higher risk of
depression and social isolation. With profound loss of vision, people may see
visual hallucinations (Charles Bonnet syndrome). Dry macular degeneration may
progress to wet macular degeneration, which can cause rapid vision loss if left
untreated.
Prevention
It is important to have routine eye exams to
identify early signs of macular degeneration. The following measures may help
reduce your risk of developing dry macular degeneration:
Manage your other
medical conditions. For example, if you have
cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, take your medication and follow
your doctor's instructions for controlling the condition.
Don't smoke.
Smokers are more likely to develop macular degeneration than are nonsmokers.
Ask your doctor for help to stop smoking.
Maintain a healthy
weight and exercise regularly. If you need to lose
weight, reduce the number of calories you eat and increase the amount of
exercise you get each day.
Choose a diet rich in
fruits and vegetables. Choose a healthy diet
that's full of a variety of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain
antioxidant vitamins that reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration.
Include fish in your
diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in
fish, may reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Nuts, such as walnuts, also
contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA,
LFACHE
Senior Consultant
Senior Management
Services, LLC
JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com
412.913.0636 Cell
724.733.0509 Office
October 24, 2021
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